Blood and Petals
by Thebestmindone
Summary: After the war Naruto feels bound to travel with Sasuke, helping him heal, helping him come back to the village. Five years pass before the two set foot in The Village hidden in the leaves again, and what they find isn't exactly what they expected. Kakashi back in full ANBU, and a name carved into the memorial, a name they never dreamed would be there. (NaruSaku)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is me dipping my toes into writing Naruto fanfiction, and this is you reading the first chapter of whatever my brain chewed up and spit out. Reviews please. **

"It's changed." The words fell slowly, haltingly, past lips that never spoke without reason, past the lips of an avenger, even before the final syllable was swept away by the wind the dark haired Uchiha was turning to his best friend. Naruto simply tilted his head and squinted down at the village below. Five years. It had been five years since they had submitted their requests to travel as Sannin level ninjas. Five years since Sasuke's name had been cleared and they had put the village to their backs. Five years since Sakura had bid them goodbye with a smile and tears in her eyes. Tears that had never fallen.

"The people too, I wonder what's happened." Finally Naruto turned back to his dark eyed best friend and smiled with an enthusiasm that only Naruto could muster. "We better report in, if Baa-chan finds out we were wandering the village we'll be picking pieces of her sandal out of our asses for weeks."

"Hn." Was the only answer Sasuke gave, but they disappeared in twin clouds of smoke.

"Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama, there are people here to see you!" Tsunade picked her head slowly off of her desk, a report sticking to her cheek and a hangover sticking to her head. Blearily regarding her assistant she waved her hand impatiently.

"Shizune how many times do I need to say it, no shouting before ten, and no shrieking until at least noon. Who ever it is can wait, I've got paperwork piled up to my nose," Tsunade finally noticed the report on her face and peeled it away with a grimace. _Fantastic, the income report on the village from last month attached to my face, why oh why did I agree to this job. _

"Tsunade-sama, I think you really need to see these two," Shizune knew she was pressing her luck, but in light of new developments, she had to keep pressing it. At a glare from the Hokage, and a slight nod, the assistant spun and opened the door with a smile. "Please, come in, so sorry for the wait."

Staring at the door, the fifth let her sake soaked mind roll over potential punishments for whoever felt the need to interrupt her hangover. After all, anyone in the village knew better than to bother the Hokage today, of all days. She had been at her desk only half an hour earlier, her morning spent in front of the memorial staring at a name. Staring at the one name she had never expected. A name that had been engraved on this same day years ago.

"Baa-chan! Did you miss me?!" At the sound of a familiar, deeper, but painfully familiar voice her eyes snapped back into focus. _I don't fucking believe it. _Her hands tensed on the desk, taking in the sight before her. Naruto, and Sasuke, back in the village, in her office, like nothing had changed. They were both taller, muscles defined and sharp, stances relaxed. Naruto was still wearing that God awful shade of orange his life seemed to revolve around, but his hair had grown longer, looking more and more like his fathers, but his blue eyes still held the boyish enthusiasm and hope. The Uchiha had completely changed his look from the war, the open white shirt gone in favor of a black long sleeve under a blue shirt, and traditional black shinobi pants over his long legs. The sight of them, standing there, whole and complete, no worse for the wear sent the fifth's already shaken control completely off the handle. She upended her desk, reports flying around her in a maelstrom of paper, and proceeded to fling it at the two before leaping out of the window, through the glass and all.

Shizune sighed, and leaned against the wall. The two halves of the desk crashed to the floor, split by Sasukes ever present katana. While the last Uchiha had been fast enough to intercept the desk, Naruto simply stood there, stunned. In the awkward beats that followed, his blue gaze turned to rest on the one person in the room that could possibly hold an answer for that- whatever in the hell that had been- only to find Shizune standing at the broken window.

"Naruto, Sasuke, as good as it is to have you back, your timing is utterly terrible. I'll go speak to her, come back here tonight, and you'll get the answer for this." Without another word, the Hokage's closest friend and assistant lept through the broken window after her mentor.

"Teme, I have a bad feeling," Naruto's previously jubilant manner had disappeared, and a world-weary frown was tracing across his face. Sasuke only nodded, briefly placing a hand on his friends shoulder.

"Probably indigestion dobe, come on, lets go see the village." The two friends turned, and Sasukes teasing words aside, doubt and worry nagged at both of their minds.

Atop the Hokage monument, the fifth hokage was laying in abject misery on her own head. She knew that the two boys-men-children, would need to be confronted, but the sheer audacity of their return on this day… It was too much. Her mind buzzed as she drained her second bottle of sake, and part of her inebriated brain focused on the issue of what Naruto and Sasuke truly were. They were old enough to be men, but their decisions and actions had been those of children. A small amused smirk hit the older womans lips as she turned her face towards the village, and thought of the one person who would know exactly what to call them. Her pink haired apprentice, daughter in all ways but on paper. Tsunade sighed as she watched the two remaining members of Team 7 leave her office and head into the village.

"Tsunade-sama, I've cleared your schedule for the rest of the day, except for one small thing," Shizune sat down next to her mentors sprawled form. Tsunades warm honey eyes flicked to Shizune's face in surprise. Her assistant never let Tsunade shrink her duties like this. Shizune's expression was full of compassion and understanding, and she held up a bottle of sake with a smile. "Your one duty for the day is to get utterly trashed with me."

Tsunade smiled back at her, "I accept that."

"Shika, I really don't know what you're doing, he's only two, I think it's a bit earlier for Shogi," Ino Yamanaka stood behind her husband, smiling down as he patiently reset the pieces their two year old son, Asuma, had once again knocked flying. It had taken the two less than a year after Naruto and Sasuke had left to find each other. Ino had finally given up on chasing the avenger, and Shikamaru had accepted that Ino was the type of troublesome he could live with. Ino had been lost in her budding romance, and hadn't noticed her best friend and rival, Sakura, steadily becoming more and more absent from the village. A fact the blond now deeply regretted.

"I just want to make sure he inherited my brains and not yours," the lazy genius turned and smiled at his wife, making sure she didn't take his words seriously, one because he didn't mean them, and two because his wife had a wicked left hook. Ino opened her mouth to reply when a slight sound behind her made her turn. The vase in her hands dropped to the floor in a shattering of clay. Asuma grumbled at the crash, but used to his rather loud mother he didn't even look up. His father on the other hand was up on his feet in a show of speed that undermined the claims of "lazy". His shadow was halfway across the floor before the two men in front of him registered. Dropping his jutsu he just sighed.

"Teme, I'm starting to think that people aren't too happy to see us, they keep breaking things."

"Hn. Maybe its just you dobe."

Shikamaru's quick eyes took them in, from the mile wide smile on Naruto's face, to the slight smirk on Sasuke's. _They don't know. Troublesome. _Even as the thought passed through his mind, he was keeping an eye on Ino. She was trembling. Shaking with rage.

"You. Two. Assholes. Get out of my sight before I send you straight to hell where you belong," The woman already had a kunai in each hand and was advancing forward with pure murder in her eyes. Ino's tirade was cut off by Shika smoothly grabbing her around the waist and whispering in her ear.

"I'll handle it, take Asuma by my mothers, she misses him." Once he was sure that the blonde was going to do as he asked, instead of raining blows on the collective heads of Naruto and Sasuke, he dropped his hands, before shoving his hands in his pockets. Ino bent down and lifted Asuma into her arms, asking him if he was ready to go see baa-chan. She left the shop in a whirl of blonde hair and blue eyed glares, but she didn't say anything else to the two friends.

"Shikamaru, what the hell is going on, Baa-chan threw her desk at us, and Ino just tried to pummel us and told us to go to hell, what happened?" As always Naruto's words came out at a rapid pace. Sasuke's black gaze was pinning Shikamaru to the wall behind him. "And where is Sakura-chan, she wasn't at the hospital when we looked. And the nurse said she didn't even work there anymore. Hell the first one didn't even know who Sakura Haruno was."

_If he could throw kunai like he throws words, the world would never survive. But, they are acting suspicious, they know something's up, but they don't want to accept it yet. _The Nara genius simply shrugged. "I'll show you." With both his hands in his pockets he ambled out of the shop, not checking if they were following or not.

Sasuke tsk-ed, slightly annoyed at the reception he and Naruto had been receiving. Of course he felt that he deserved it, but Naruto? No, not him. Sasuke knew that his return would be less than welcome, after leaving to go rogue, then showing up at the end of the war, then taking Naruto out of the village, he wasn't popular right now. Even with the full pardon that had been granted him for his assistance in the war, the people of Konoha were sure to be anything but warm. But Naruto had become the villages hero, whatever had happened, was bad. The two of them had been the subject of many stares, most of them full of pity, few angry, and even less seemed happy. Following Shikamaru, he once again gently grabbed Naruto by the shoulder and pulled him along.

Wind lashed through the trees, sending leaves flying through the air and giving new meaning to the name, Konohagakure. Near training ground three, there stands a stone. On this stone, engraved with painstaking care, are the names of each shinobi that has died for their village.

Sasuke and Naruto followed their former classmate, each step closer bringing further confusion and fear into their minds. With the stone in sight, they knew a name would be there, a name that belonged to someone they knew. At the base of the memorial Shikamaru turned to the two, and dropped his lazy air. His eyes sharpened, his features becoming drawn and taunt, and adopting a manner that he only held on a battle ground. Both of the men in front of him reacted to it, adopting battle ready stances as well.

"This is all I can do, we are all expressly forbidden from telling you two anything about the past five years, by the Hokage herself. However, she never said we couldn't show you a clue," here the Nara's eyes pinned each man's stare, holding it until he was sure the message had been received, "I'm sorry for this. But I am glad you are back. So is everyone else, you just need to give them time. This is a bad day." With that, his hands formed a quick seal and he was gone in a plume of smoke.

For a few minutes, all the two friends could do was stand, far enough back that the names on the stone were just harsh lines. The pit of dread that had opened in the their stomachs in the Hokages office, widened by the encounter at the flower shop, had become a great canyon. The bottom of which was too black to tell what lay below. They didn't know who, but all they knew was that someone close to them, someone very dear to their hearts had given Konoha their all. Someone they were supposed to protect, one of their comrades had died, and they both felt that it was in someway their fault. If they hadn't left, if they hadn't been so damn selfish, and taken a five year hiatus, if they had just stayed, then maybe that name would still be a person, not a memory. They both immediately suspected Kakashi, before remembering catching a glimpse of him reading on a rooftop on their way to see Tsunade. Both of their minds churning, they glanced at each other.

The wind whipped higher, the leaves swirling faster, when they moved forward, in perfect sync with out a word to communicate their intention. As the writing on the stone became clearer, names began to leap out. Names from the past. Uchiha Obito. Hyuuga Neji. As their eyes, frantic now in the search went lower and lower, their world came to a crashing halt.

The wind died down as a single cherry blossom fell to rest on the stone surrounding the memorial. Narutos blue eyes closed slowly, silent tears already marking his cheeks. Sasuke's sharingan activated subconsciously, looking for the lie, for the genjutsu, looking for something other than the truth. As Naruto's tortured howl reached the heavens, Sasuke's eyes faded back to black, and he fell to his knees. The one person who had always believed in him, the one person who he could count on most, was the person that he had let down for the last time. Sasuke's hand shakily reached out and traced the letters forming a name as familiar as his own.

Haruno Sakura.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ask you shall receive. I asked for a review and I got one, the review asked for more chapters and they got this. I have a bit more done on this, but I'll be holding that back until I fix it. Once again reviews are nice.**

The thrill of battle. It's something that every shinobi knows, as familiar as their own heartbeat. It lights up your veins, and suddenly the world just becomes as sharp as the edge on my sword. If you had told me five years ago, that not only would I be surrounded by ten Grass ninjas intent on my life, but that I wouldn't hesitate before taking them down, I would of laughed hysterically, then dropped you at the psych ward. After all, I was a healer, a decent one, but nothing to write home about. Life is a tricky bitch however, and somethings just can't be foreseen.

For example, I couldn't of predicted Naruto and Sasuke going on Jiraya worthy romp around the world. I couldn't of seen Kakashi's return to full duty ANBU. I sure as shit hadn't seen myself here. Up to my eyes in flying senbon and poison mist, on a mission my village didn't know about, in a country that wanted me dead, with everyone I loved believing me dead and gone. Like I said, life is a tricky bitch. Let me back up a bit, five years to be exact. Back to when this mess, all started.

Five years previous.

I stood in Hokage's office. Reading a summary of her previous meeting. A request to be granted freedom from village obligations, to "heal from the turmoil", put in by my two closest friends. Naruto and Sasuke had been granted Sannin status, and were set to leave the village later today. I couldn't believe it. They were leaving. The war had just ended, and everything was just starting to return to normal, and they were bailing out. I felt it then, the beginning of the snap. Instead of lashing out, as Shishou and Shizune obviously expected, judging from their tense expressions and ready stances, I just set the paper down on the desk and smiled. I could feel the strain, the tense set of my face, and knew that it looked like one of Sai's fake smiles, but it was the best I could do.

"I understand. They've both been through a lot, and I hope that they can heal each other, and when they come back, I'll be waiting." Feeling that my face would crack with the pressure of keeping up the smile, I turned and Kakashi style leaped out of the window. I don't remember much of what happened next. The goodbyes, the pain, its all just a blur, like I was on autopilot. A very small part of my brain focused on saying goodbye, showing the right emotions, even nodding when Naruto yelled, "We'll be back before you know it!" and smiling when Sasuke even managed to add, "I wouldn't leave again, I will be back." I knew it was hard for the Uchiha to show even that much emotion, a sign that he was already on the right track, but the larger part of my thoughts were bent on what to do. I couldn't just sit around and wait. I knew that if I tried I'd end up turning the sharp end of my kunai on myself. I wasn't ready to go out like that. So there, watching their backs one more fucking time, I swore to myself. I would step out of their shadows, I would no longer be the person always waiting for them. This time. They would wait for me.

That was the breaking point, the sight of their backs passing through the Konoha gates. It was the last straw. I felt something break inside of me that day. The foolish little girl that had conditioned her hair everyday. Gone. The girl that had found her inner strength in the forest of death. Gone. The girl that had begged to become apprentice to the Hokage, and fought so hard in the war. Gone. The only one left standing was the woman that couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore. From there it was simple. Step one. Train my ass off. Everyone always complimented my chakra control, well lets see what we can do with that. Step two. Find teachers. I trained under Kakashi again, until he returned full time to the black ops. From there I learned everything I could, from everyone I could. Genjutsu from Kurenai. Taijutsu from Gai, which hurt like hell. I trained with Hinata, learning more about the chakra system, and the opening points, I'd never be Hyuuga status, but I was better than most. Tracking from Kiba. The list goes on and on. None of them questioned me. They all seemed to understand that being left once again, had changed me. Tsunade was the only one to question it. When she did, I submitted my name for ANBU.

This is where shit got hard. The entry trials were bad enough. Pitted against senior members in the first part. Then an improvised interrogation/torture by headed by Ibiki Morino, followed by a beat down by the council. The last part was where I was told I failed, it was only after I presented my case, rather strongly, that I was congratulated. If I had just accepted defeat I would of failed, but because I pushed on, I was accepted. Sick bastards, but now I was one of them. Pushing applicants to their absolute breaking point, physically, emotionally, and mentally. I came out half dead, beat to hell, but in a better frame of mind than I had been. I guess that says something bad about how I was before, if an interrogation by Morino Ibiki can right my thinking. After I was accepted, it was training with my new team. Studying under Ibiki himself, after I bugged him half to death he finally took me on. My work paid off though. Soon I had reached something that no one ever expected of little Sakura-chan. A hunter-nin. A cold killer, a heartless interrogator (to Ibiki-sensei's pride), and someone no longer bound by the past. I had spent a year training for it. Two years as an operative, until I received a mission that royally fucked my whole plan.

"Haruno. You've surprised us all. You're ranked an s-class ninja in enemy bingo books. The amount of missions you've taken would of killed most people." This was true, in the past two years I'd spent a total of around fifteen days in the village. I didn't like sitting around. Even though not a one of my friends was aware of my involvement in ANBU, I was sure they were getting suspicious. I shifted my mask in my hands looking down at it. A grinning fox, with three pink whiskers on its cheeks.

"This mission, should you accept it, will ask more from you than has ever been asked. More even than Itachi." This sent a shiver of fear straight down my spine, a feeling I hadn't felt since the war. Everyone knew the truth about Itachi, something I wasn't sure how to feel about. The fear was what did me in, I knew then that I would accept this mission, no matter what. I had missed the sensation, the feeling of ice sliding down my spine, it was reassurance that I was alive. I hadn't been afraid for over a year and a half. Some days I wondered if I had actually killed myself the night Naruto and Sasuke left, and what I was experiencing was just my rendition of hell.

"For all intents and purposes, you will die. The pink fox, as you have been called, will simply vanish. We will have a different operative pretend to be the pink fox, under a new disguise, which should throw the other villages off. But Haruno Sakura will die on a mission. A body will return, a body will be buried, and your name will be added to the monument. However, the body will not be yours. You will be given a mission that rates above s-class. A mission that should you fail, will never be spoken of again. The peace that has lasted since the end of the war is facing a complete break. Some outside influence is pushing at it, and you will find out who and what that is, and wipe it completely off the map. You have permission to use everything you have ever learned, nothing is forbidden. However, you will do this, not as a shinobi of Konoha, but as a nameless, faceless terror." Not what I expected. I paused, thinking about it. Naruto and Sasuke were gone indefinitely. Kakashi was throwing himself into his work, I didn't want him to think that he had failed another comrade. My old Sensei had lost too many people. Tsunade would be furious. Ino would be heart broken, but Shikamaru would be there for her. A dozen more names and faces ran through my mind, people I would leave behind. People who would mourn me. I looked back up at Ibiki. His scarred face was set into grim lines. They needed this done. And I could do it. I was probably the only one that could. I stared him dead in the eye and said the two words that would set a shit-storm in motion that even I couldn't of prophesized.

"I accept."

From there it was really just a matter of how to stage my death. Besides Ibiki only one other person knew of my mission. Kakashi. The idea lifted a huge weight from my shoulders, I did care about my old sensei and I knew that my death might of been a breaking point. He was my contact, the one that would send me any new information. Which would be great seeings how I had none at all. My death happened at the Kazekages doorstep. A simple mission, I was sent as a healer to investigate a new illness cropping up in Suna. On the way I was ambushed by a group of rogue ninja. They wanted me for a bounty. It amused me to be in the bingo book twice, once as the pink fox, and once as myself, a high ranking Konoha medic. I was brought down by a single sword strike through the heart. My team managed to step in a save my "body", and brought it back to Konoha. That team was headed by Kakashi, but I wasn't sure who the other two would be, I hoped they weren't any of my friends. At least that was the plan. I have no idea how it really went down. I was in the Land of Earth far to the north. My trademark pink hair was now black, my eyes an unsettling gold, thanks to a special genjutsu that Kurenai and Ibiki came up with, it involved a seal on my lower back, and could only be undone by one of the two. It was easier than trying to dye my hair on the road, or hold a genjutsu of my own. Even if I died my features would remain altered. My face was exactly as it was before, but Ibiki explained that I had changed so much in the past two years that I wouldn't be recognized. It was true. My features were harsher, more prominent. Any trace of softness wiped away by the blood I had been bathed in. My two years in ANBU had brought more successful kills in that time frame than any other, including Kakashi. I spent the next three years roaming the entire ninja world. Eventually I found the cause of the problems. Or rather, the whisper of the cause. And it was shitty.

Present day.

I deflected the latest rain of senbon with a lazy twirl of my sword, sending the needles back at my attacker and his companions. Two caught a ninja in the throat, fine by me, one less to deal with. This brought their numbers down to five. Four already falling to the swift strikes of my blade. I was bored. And annoyed. These pesky assholes were only slowing me down. They weren't worth the time it would take to clean the blood off of my blade. I leapt towards the leader, in a move he obviously didn't track given his gasp of surprise, cut short by the kunai in my left hand tracing its way across his neck, he hadn't fallen before I launched myself off of his shoulder into his ring of companions. Left foot pivot, blades flying, I barely thought about it. Throats cut, heads flying. It hadn't been thirty seconds since the attack began and I was standing surrounded by corpses. Boring. I had about an hour to make it to my "home". A tree that looked as if it had been well seasoned when the first Hokage was born. Over time the center had been hollowed out, creating a natural safe haven, only accessible by an opening fifty feet up in the air. A simple genjutsu covered the entrance, and it was as safe as I could make it. Tonight I was set to hand off the progress of my mission over the past six months to Pakkun, Kakashi's talkative summon. Finally I had something positive to report.

"Oi, girly, you're late, was about to write you off as dead-er." The pug sat on my bed curled into a ball on my pillow. I was used to his cracks about my being "dead", it was comforting.

"If you leave fleas on my pillow I'll skin you alive Pak." We shared a mutual smile, this was the only contact I had with anyone familiar. Even if it was a smelly pug with questionable people skills. "But on a side note, I have something. Well, the start of something anyways." I handed the scroll I had written earlier today over and sat it in front of him. Our past meetings over the last two years had been mostly my reporting of nothing, nothing, and wait for it, more nothing. The pug shot me a shocked look then picked up the scroll in his mouth. We both knew that this would be the start of finally finishing this godforsaken mission. I wondered what had changed in the village, its not like the pug was any good for gossip.

"I'll get this right back then," muffled around the scroll and a wink later and the little dog was gone. Fleas or not I was sad to see him go. He was my one link with the life I had left behind.

(Back in Konoha now, with Kakashi and Ibiki in the forest.)

The two elite ANBU shinobi were walking through the woods in training area three. It was a tradition at this point, to wander the woods waiting for Pakkun, then discuss the report at the monument. Even though Kakashi knew she was alive, it hurt his heart to see Sakura's name engraved on that cold stone. Even so he kept going back, it was understood that likely Sakura wouldn't return from her mission, and her name might be on that stone forever. Pausing under a tree, he felt the tingle of chakra that singled Pakkun's return, he held up one hand and looked at the ground. Ibiki nodded and leaned against the trunk. Together they waited.

(With Sasuke and Naruto)

They hadn't moved. For hours and hours. Naruto standing, his eyes shut, his breathing harsh. Sasuke, kneeling his hand tracing the letters over and over again. The sun had set, the moon was high in the sky, and still they remained. A vigil for their oldest friend. Their hearts breaking over and over as memories rose up. Pink hair, green eyes. Brilliant colors in the dark world that shinobi live in. A caring heart, a warm smile, and a loyalty to her friends had made Sakura the one constant in their lives. And now that was gone. Ripped away. They didn't know how or why. But when the sun rose, they would find out. And when they found out who had taken their friend from them, before they could make amends, there would be hell to pay.

(With Kakashi and Ibiki)

"Good news this time boys," with that the faithful little pug dropped the scroll at their feet and vanished in a small puff of smoke. Kakashi bent down and retrieved the scroll, and for the first time in two years, a spark of hope returned.

"Kakashi, open it." Ibiki had spent too much time in command, his voice came out as an order, no matter the situation. In fact the only time he hadn't straight out bossed someone around was when he offered Sakura the mission. But he wasn't about to tell anyone that. Kakashi just opened the seal and began to read. His eye flashing across lines of neat print, and slowly he began to stand straighter. The weight that had rested on his shoulder for the past two years began to lift. "Kakashi…" Ibiki was dying, not knowing something drove him to the brink of madness.

"She did it." Kakashi suddenly started laughing. He turned towards the monument, before tossing the scroll behind his shoulder at Ibiki. Catching it with a scowl, Ibiki followed him reading.

"Fang and scar.

Fox reports the door is found. The lock is a simple blade of grass. Phase one will be complete when the blossoms fly. Request assist for phase two. Meet time and place return via mutt mail.

Fox out."

Ibiki suddenly understood Kakashi's laughter. It appeared that after two years, Sakura was starting to remember her old self. The hard ass ANBU was there in the carefully coded words, but the cherry blossom was in her teasing code names. And she was finally getting somewhere. The message was coded. But understandable. The door is found, she has found out the cause of the unrest. Simple blade of grass, that leaves Ninjas from The Village hidden in the Grass are to blame. Unsurprising, with two factions constantly warring in the village, and their habit of information gathering. The Grass had been a prime target, but even so, the fact that she had a lead to blame them was impressive. She is requesting help, meaning that it must be a big ass problem. She had been instructed to solve the problem on her own if at all possible, the fact that she was asking for help ment that another war could be looming. The final part was setting a time for her to have concrete information. The year had been mild, so the Sakura trees had just started to bloom, that left about a week before the blossoms would begin to fall. _Smart girl. Smarter and stronger than anyone gave her credit for. _Despite himself, Ibiki found a small chuckle passing his lips. He looked up only to nearly walk into Kakashi. Looking past him he saw two figures in front of the memorial stone. One kneeling, and one standing, both looking as if they had been carved from stone. The clouds that had been blocking the moon suddenly shifted, shedding light on the two. "Well, I'll be fucked. They're back." All Kakashi did was nod.

As one the two elite ninja slipped back into the trees, to send a return to Sakura.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Well hello. I didn't expect this kind of reception to a fic by such a new author. To address a review, I'm pairing NaruSaku for this fic, but I am an unrepentant crack pairing demon. Which means my next fic, whenever that may happen, will likely pair Sakura off with someone else. Thank you for the support! Here is chapter three, enough of my babbling. **

(The following morning)

The sun thrust its way up into the sky with a brutal determination. As the first rays hit his face, Naruto opened his eyes. They were red, not from the Kyuubi, but from the countless tears still staining his face, he looked down, at his last best friend in the world. His chest felt empty, like his heart had been cut clean in two, and only half of it was working.

The suns warmth seemed perverse to Sasuke. How could anything be warm, when he felt so cold. He felt Naruto's hand land lightly on his shoulder, and he looked up at the last important person he had. Kakashi was important, but Naruto and Sakura had been his family. Once more, he was losing his family. A sharp stab of regret shot through the Uchiha, he had left Sakura, for selfish reasons, and now she was dead. And now he would never be able to make up for all of the harsh words, the pain, and all of her tears.

As Sasuke rose, they turned and headed slowly towards the Hokage tower. Kakashi peered at them over the cover of his Icha-Icha book and his eye crinkled in a slight smile. With a puff of smoke, he too was gone.

As they walked through the village, their old friends took in the broken look on both of their faces. Naruto simply looked like his entire world had been ripped apart. Sasuke was showing more emotion than most could ever remember, but under his pain, a brutal rage was building. Climbing the stairs to the Hokage's office, they both braced themselves. The Hokage's rage from the day before was completely understandable. They had left, and because of that, the girl that they both held close in their hearts was gone. Gone some place where all of their training could never reach.

(In Tsunade's office)

"I can tell from your faces you've been filled in somewhat on the events you have missed," Tsunade was slightly regretting her fit of rage yesterday, for these two the grief was still fresh. She had had two years to get used to the idea that flashing green eyes would never stare at her at the end of a mission. That the brilliant pink hair would never whip around as she left through the window. She sighed and opened a drawer, pulling out a folder with three pieces of paper inside. The first was a copy of the mission scroll that she had given to Sakura's team the day she left, and never came back. The second was a bloodstained scrap of paper, taken from a messenger hawk, Sakura's desperate call for back up. The third was Sakura's official death certificate. Tsunade set all three of these in front of the two, and then leaned back in her chair.

"You deserve to understand the events that lead up to your teammates death, and as long as you let me speak without interruptions, I will tell you."

(Flashback, two years ago)

Tsunade rolled her eyes at the ANBU report sitting on her desk. The sunlight streaming in the window behind her hit the paper, and the glass bottle next to it. Taking a large drink straight from the bottle, she called out for Shizune to fetch a team. Not even five minutes later a four man squad was assembled in her office. Haruno Sakura, the medic required to deal with the sickness in the the ANBU report, Hatake Kakashi, Hyuuga Hinata one of Tsunade's newest medic students, and Sai. It was a quick briefing, the team would pack, and leave within the hour. After they were dismissed Tsunade called out to her apprentice. Taking in Sakura's appearance once again the Hokage found herself wondering how the little slip of a girl that had demanded to be trained, was the hardened and jaded ANBU hunter-nin standing in her office.

"I need the medic on this mission Sakura, not the fox." The pink haired girl just nodded, then walked up to Tsunade and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"Don't worry Shishou, I've got it under control." With that the girl was out of the office, just in time for the local Konoha radio to announce the lucky numbers for the grand prize. "7 12 14 53 24 and 61." With a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach, Tsunade confirmed, that she had just won a million dollars.

(Present day)

"Four hours later the messenger hawk came in. I immediately dispatched an ANBU team to assist them. By the time the ANBU team arrived, Hatake Kakashi was critically wounded, Sai was unconscious, and Hyuuga Hinata was still fighting one of the assailants. Haruno Sakura was missing. It was a rogue team, looking to collect the bounty on Sakura's head. The ANBU team tracked them and retrieved her body." Tsunade paused in her story to take in the horrified looks on Naruto and Sasuke's faces. _I wonder what they would think if I told them about her ANBU career, maybe after..._

"I performed the autopsy myself when they returned, it was without a doubt Haruno Sakura. The rest of her team recovered within the month. Her name was added to the memorial stone directly after the funeral."

"I don't know who broke my order, but they will be punished." Tsunade had her suspicions, that Nara again. Before Tsunade could continue she felt a familiar chakra behind her shoulder. A sure sign Kakashi was sitting at the broken window. Naruto's whiskered cheeks had tear trails down them again, and the Uchiha was positively thermonuclear pissed off. They both were full of self guilt, they had left their place in the village, and Sakura had died.

"Hokage-sama, you didn't need to leave the window open for me," Kakashi teased. At his teasing tone the hokage whirled and stared at him. The dark mood of the room was instantly cut through. Naruto and Sasuke both stared at him blankly. He had been on the mission. He had seen Sakura _die_, and yet he sat there teasing them.

Kakashi's visible eye crinkled. For all of the past two years he had moped, taken suicide missions, and generally been depressed. Now he was teasing and smiling, and hadn't demanded a mission that was sure to be his last. Something was causing this change, something Tsunade fully intended to get to the bottom of…

"Naruto, Sasuke, welcome back." At this the two both flinched and lowered their gazes. They knew that Kakashi would blame himself for Sakura's death, and he would also likely blame them as well. " Tsunade, could you please put them back on the duty roster. Also, Ibiki will be here shortly to give them the briefing." Kakashi delivered his little speech with an eye crinkle, and proceeded to pull out Icha-Icha and ignore them all.

(Thirty minutes later, with Ibiki, Tsunade, Sasuke, and Naruto.)

"Baa-chan I'm so sorry.. We should of been he-" A sharp wave cut Naruto off. It was not the first time she had been forced to relive her students last moments, but it still wasn't easy. She was half a bottle of sake down by the time Naruto and Sasuke were through asking questions. Ibiki and Kakashi just kept silent through it all. Through the rage from Sasuke, mostly directed at himself. It exploded from his form in an icy gale. He was still an avenger at heart, and he was going to get revenge for a girl that should've been innocent of all of this pain. Through the tears and promises of revenge for Sakura-chan from Naruto. Naruto's pain was tangible. It tangled with the icy rage from Sasuke, magnifying and amplifying it. Even as the pain morphed into a rage to match the Uchiha's. They kept their mouths shut.

Kakashi waited until they had fallen silent before offering this, "She would not blame you for her death, and you will not blame yourselves either." Kakashi understood that the two would need to be filled in as soon as possible, before they skipped out again to get revenge, but they also needed to grieve. With a nod at Ibiki, they decided to keep the secret just a little bit longer.

"We will meet tonight, at the memorial stone. You need to be caught up to speed on current events as soon as possible, but that can wait. Take this time to remember Sakura as she was. She deserves that." With this Ibiki turned and exited the room. With a two fingered salute Kakashi lept back out the window, leaving the three to mend their wounds.

(With Sakura)

I liked this little tree base of mine. It had been a home of sorts for the past year, ever since I turned my suspicions on the grass ninja. I kept all all of my personal objects packed up. Mainly weapons and scrolls. I had one thing left out at all times. My ANBU mask. A grinning fox, with three pink painted whiskers on each cheek. I had missed Naruto. In ways that surprised me. I wasn't sure when I had stopped loving Sasuke. Maybe when he had left me yet again. I hated them both, and in some ways I still did. But as time went on. I forgave Sasuke first. I knew he had been emotionally broken so many times over his life, and expecting him to just return to the village as if nothing had happened was cruel. It took me almost a year to come to that conclusion. It was six more months more before I could forgive Naruto. He always gave so much to his friends.I was still mad as hell at them both for leaving me. Even if I could say to myself that I had forgiven them, I knew in my heart that I still hadn't. After all they had been roaming around the land, and enjoying themselves. They probably didn't even realize what I had gone through, how I had changed. At that point in time, Sasuke was the friend in the greatest need. I had always put up such a good show, Naruto truly believed I would be fine. He was likely beating himself black and blue over guilt from my "death". He would blame himself. Put all of the blame on his shoulders. The sadistic part of my mind, the one that I unleashed when I put on the mask chuckled with a dark glee. The smaller, more beaten down and broken part of my mind whispered that it was cruel to let him suffer, to enjoy it. Even if I had died, or if I died before this mission was over, it would be no ones fault but my own. I had chosen my path. And the consequences that came with it were mine alone. I wanted to be back in Konoha, taking wild missions and living on the edge. The pink terror of our enemies and some of our allies. Not this black haired harridan. I dressed in my ANBU uniform for the first time since leaving the Leaf. As I pulled the mask over my face, I grinned to myself, it was time to start putting the pieces together and follow my lead.

(The memorial, roughly midnight)

The night is still. The wind is gone, the sky is empty and clear. The calm of the weather contrasts sharply with the turmoil of emotions below. For Kakashi and Ibiki, pain and guilt mix in a potent cocktail. They feel the pain of her death, and the pain of the others, and guilt because while they hold the answer to soothe this pain, its too soon. For Tsunade the pain has returned full force, in a way it rarely does since the funeral. For Sasuke, rage, and a feeling of helplessness he hasn't felt since the day his clan fell to his brothers sword. And for Naruto, heartbreak, he wanted so badly to return to Sakura, to find her whole and safe, and to make his quest for her heart known. Pain echos off of their faces, rebounding and doubling back as they look at each other. Ibiki's sigh is the first thing to break the silence.

"The first thing you should understand, is that what you are about to hear is classified, Tsunade is well acquainted with Sakura's...exploits after you left," As Ibiki spoke, the three people in front of him glared at him with varying intensity. Tsunade was glaring out of habit. Sasuke looked absolutely murderous, his eyes were black chips of diamond, but he was listening. Naruto looked utterly ruined, the pain and self loathing in his eyes nearly out shined the anger he held. Above all though, the two males showed curiosity. Clearing his throat slightly Kakashi stepped in.

"Four years ago Haruno Sakura joined the ANBU. Tsunade, you know this, and you know the extent of her achievements there. Most everyone else in this village is in the dark about how much Sakura had grown, and how well she had done" Lifting his hand to silence the exclamations of surprise and disbelief coming at him he continued. "I have two copies of her folder here, please feel free to examine them, the Sakura that you knew changed. She lost something of herself when you two left, and this was how she dealt. She took the pain, and drowned it in blood, hers and others." With his words Naruto and Sasuke flinched. Both of them assuming that her death was their fault. They knew that it was their fault that she had picked up an ANBU mask, instead of staying safe at the hospital. It was their fault that she had stopped saving lives, and started taking them. Pausing to let them go through her file he took a small amount of pleasure at the pure shock on their faces. Oh little Sakura-chan had grown up. Sakura had an impressive record.

Name: Haruno Sakura.

Alias: The Pink Fox

Age of enlistment: 17

Rank: Jounin

Skills and Abilities: Perfect chakra control. Strong genjutsu. Proficient taijutsu. Impressive ninjutsu. Shows skills in all elements, with specialization in water. Impeccable sword skills. Intimate knowledge of chakra systems. High level tracker. Certified for field interrogations.

Instructors: Hatake Kakashi, The Godaime Hokage, Yuuhi Kurenai, Maito Guy, Morino Ibiki, Hyuuga unknown, Inuzuka unknown, others unknown.

Designation: Hunter-nin

Mission history (ANBU):

A-Rank: 25 complete

S-Rank: 28 complete

Current Assignment: N/A

It was brief. Not very descriptive, and didn't do her justice by half in Ibiki's opinion. The number of missions completed didn't even touch on the things she had done. He had seen the remains of one of her targets that had a penchant for little girls. It had just been bones, each bone showing the same stress and break pattern that one would expect to see of a landslide victim, and he had never asked what she had done. He had watched her interrogations, and found himself mildly thankful she was on his side. He didn't know how many of his ninja's could hold up to her. The balance between pain and reward, fear and admiration that she inspired in her victims was artfull, not that she couldn't become completely bloodthirsty if the situation called for.

"What does it mean that her current assignment is N/A, she is...she's gone." Naruto stumbled over the words, but he was staring at Ibiki suspiciously.

"That is standard ANBU procedure, no one outside of the ANBU community and some of our leadership was aware that Sakura was really the pink fox, it keeps the other nations in line, thinking that she might be on the loose somewhere, or even watching them. In death her reputation is enough to help protect the village, like she would of wanted." Ibiki paused again then looked at Kakashi for help.

Kakashi stepped forward and addressed the two men. "I worked with her multiple times, she was good. The best rookie of that group, and even though I don't know how you two have progressed, I'd stake everything I own on the fact that she could of taken you down." Ignoring the blank look of surprise and tears on Naruto's face, and the shock and disbelief on Sasuke's, he turned back to Tsunade, she nodded her agreement.

Minutes passed, then Naruto broke the silence. "She was good, wasn't she?" Kakashi nodded. "Then… Then who the fuck took her down?!" Naruto looked even more upset, and Sasuke's expression mirrored it.

Kakashi stepped forward and put his hand on Naruto's head and leaned him down so that they were eye to eye. "I was there, the group that attacked on that mission was above anything I have ever seen, Akatsuki included. We have been trying to gather information on them, but the latest field report only vaguely incriminates the Grass village. We are trying, and you can help." Here he looked to Sasuke, "You can both help. Help us find them. Help us finish this."

Sasuke's dark eyes glittered, revenge was a language he spoke well, clapping his hand on the blondes shoulder he spoke for them both, "We will end them. For her. For the only sister I ever had and was stupid enough to leave."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! First off, thank you all so much for the reviews and the support of such a new story, and its new author. I've read all the reviews more than once, and I've tried to address them all in the chapter to follow this one. As always, reviews and feedback are appreciated. On to the part you actually care about! (That I am belatedly realizing is totally focused on Sakura. Oops) (Also, I had my editor look at this after it was posted cause sleep deprivation makes logic a fool of a took, so this is the better version.)**

(Four days later, with Sakura)

"Sakuraaaaaaaaa." The voice was familiar and I couldn't help but smile.

"What, Pak?" The little dog was grinning in a way that shouldn't be possible for a canine.

"Kakashi and Ibiki sent a message." With a wink the little dog curled up on my pillow again. I half heartedly threw a kunai over his head as a reminder about the fleas.

"Fox.

Fire burns grass, the brightest flames have returned. The know the story of the mask, but not the tale that follows. Meet where the tears fall in two months, to discuss revival and collaboration.

The pug has been freshly washed in a flea shampoo, your pillow is safe.

Fang"

The brightest flames have returned… So Naruto and Sasuke were back in the village. They had surely been filled in by now. On my ANBU career and death. I followed my kunai over to the bed and sat down scratching Pakkun behind the ear. "You let Kakashi get at you with flea shampoo?" Judging from the disgruntled snort, the dog had not enjoyed it much. Where the tears fall…. The monument? Konoha? They wanted me to come back? No. Two months from now was too soon, too soon to go back, and too soon to solve this.

"I'm going out to follow up on my lead, I'll bring you back dinner if you want to stick around." Pakkun just snorted again and curled up tighter on my pillow. I was stepping out of the entrance when his voice sounded.

"I do expect you are going to tell Kakashi and Ibiki about this man you've partnered up with."

I turned back and glared at the little dog, "I'm way outside of the wire here Pak, I don't have to get any of this shit cleared." With that I was out and moving through the forest to meet my lead, and I thought back to the first time I had met my current informant.

Flashback.

I stood at the border between the grass country, and the earth country. A lot had gone into my mission thus far. I had tracked down one of Jiraiya's informants, and had to implement some of Ibiki-sensei's teachings to get him to open up to me. I felt low for resorting to that, but I had to know what he knew. Instead of lashing out at me, or being upset, the old man had burst out laughing and told me I had passed his test. I suppose being a spy for the pervert allowed him a small measure of insanity. Not many people giggled after being interrogated…

Perching on a wide tree limb, I couldn't help but miss the forests of Konoha. The trees here were more jungle like, with giant mushrooms sprouting everywhere. I let my long black hair fall free, falling over my shoulders. I hadn't been able to wear my ANBU uniform, and was forced to pick up clothes on the way. I had on a mesh tanktop, a black halter top that left my midriff exposed, and tight black pants tucked into my thigh high boots. Black on black, not my most creative, but it worked. The clothes marked me out as a shinobi, even if the katana across my back didn't give it away. The lack of a forehead protector raised only a few eyebrows, after the war many shinobi had grown bored with the peace enforced by their village, and had struck out as mercenaries. It was simple enough to me to disappear in their ranks. Just like Ibiki said, a nameless, faceless, ghost to take down the threat to the peace.

A flicker of movement caught my eye, just to the left, behind a tree. Instead of moving on it, I relaxed further, hoping I could draw whatever it was out without resorting to violence. A fight so soon after I crossed the border into the grass would be unfortunate. My patience paid off, and a figure dropped to the ground and looked up at me with his hands spread wide, a small smile pulling at his lips. I stared back down impassively, a kunai reflexively in my left hand. That leaves my sword hand open if I need to draw it, and any enemy instantly assumes my left is my dominant hand, and they attack accordingly. Often to their downfall. The man standing below me was about average height, with ice blue eyes and shaggy black hair falling into his eyes. He was dressed like a shinobi, but there wasn't a weapon in his hands, and there wasn't a headband marking his allegiance.

"Hi there," he called up to me. I raised an eyebrow and slipped the kunai back into my holster.

"What are you doing? Trying to get yourself full of holes or something?", at my remark he grinned fully and shrugged.

"Nah, but I'm curious, there isn't a lot of call for a rogue around here, but that's obviously what you are. I am too, and I'm wondering why you've suddenly decided to show up and add some competition for my clients," he was being careful, not moving at all, and not dropping his eyes from mine, even while I scanned the trees, he was alone, "can you come down and we can talk about why we both are really here?"

My eyes snapped back to his and my upper lip curled slightly showing my teeth, what the fuck. "Or stay up there, that's fine too, I just didn't think you'd want the details of your mission spread all over." He paused and in that second I'd leapt from my perch and have my sword in my right hand with the tip resting in the hollow of his throat.

"What mission is that?", I made sure to keep my voice level and my eyes boring into his. All of my training under Ibiki was brought forth and if he didn't want to answer willingly, I'd tear the answer from his mind, and his skin.

"Easy there bad-ass, just a guess, I thought we might be in the same spot, and I wasn't told that I couldn't work with anyone else. I don't think I'm wrong either, judging by the way you've killed me at least four times in your head and haven't made a serious move to actually cut me down," his icy eyes narrowed, but other than that he hadn't moved a single muscle. I was waiting for the warning bells to go off, but when none did, my instincts calmed, and I slowly lowered my sword.

"Then let's talk."

End Flashback.

And now I was on my way to meet him, Isamu, the other "rogue". He had quickly filled me in on his suspicions. The hidden grass village had two factions constantly warring within it, the Grass Flower which had been pushing to use the ancient weapon rumored to be hidden in the village long ago, and the Grass Fruit which opposed its use. The Grass Flower was the faction that we would be targeting. Isamu was there to take down the leader of the faction, in an effort to destabilize the whole movement. I wasn't sure what village he was from, but his mannerisms and the way he griped about the "great bloody trees blocking out the sky", lent me to lean towards Suna. In any case we had reached an agreement, first names only, even if I had lied about my name, no villages mentioned, we would work together to profit our own end game. He wanted the leader of the Grass Flower dead and I needed more information about the cause of the end of peace. I landed in a crouch on a low hanging limb that offered a good view of the rebel camp and waited.

Not even five minutes later Isamu dropped onto the limb next to me, catching the shuriken I threw at him out of habit. "That's rather rude Ino-chan." As always hearing Ino's name from him was strange. "That's him. We'll move in an hour when they change the guard for lunch." He pointed out a non-descript ninja in the center of the camp, with his mud brown hair and pale complexion he was just the type of person to never remain in one's mind. But then I was never one to judge someone by their looks. I settled in to wait the hour, close enough to barely brush shoulders with Isamu. He wasn't a teammate, or even a comrade by any stretch of the word, but he was all I had in this lonely jungle hell.

The hour passed quickly, and before I knew it I was crouched low in the bushes surrounding the camp. I cut my eyes to the right where Isamu was hiding, and watched. His form burst through the bush and half a second later I was behind him. The two guards on my side went down in twin sprays of crimson, chakra scalpels glowing on my finger tips. Isamu took his two down easily and we crouched waiting for the four replacements. When they came, it was silent. They hadn't even seen the bodies of their comrades before I rammed a kunai through one's temple and the other through the next one's throat. In less than two minutes, we had cut their forces in half. All that remained was the leader, his two personal guards, and the other six roaming the interior. I was surprised at the lack of people present, but as Isamu had pointed out they were running a coup, gathering intelligence, and causing political unrest in at least two nations. At times the base was full, fifty to a hundred people, but there were times like now that the forces stretch thin, leaving the boss and his personal entourage. Sixteen shinobi, chuunin and jounin level. The eight we had just taken down were the chuunin. The ones inside would be more of a challenge, and the two that stayed with the target at all times were supposed to be passably good.

With a nod Isamu and I dove into the base. This was where our intel stopped. We had no idea of the layout, luckily, I adapted quickly. Slipping into my hunter-nin persona was easier than normal. Ice in my blood, I darted right and Isamu went left. Staying in the shadows, moving silently. I come up on my first shinobi on the inside. A breeze on his back alerted him and he's dead even as he turns, medical jutsu stopping his heart in his chest. I'm five steps beyond when his body hits the ground. The pattern repeats for my last two targets, silent kill, quick death. I come around the corner and nearly kill Isamu on reflex. His teeth flashed white in the dark as he shakes his head at me. From the blood spatter on his face, he was successful too. That leaves three people in the base, leaning in close so my voice is just at a whisper.

"I'll take the guards, you get the leader before he can run," Isamu nods and leans back. Together we turn and move down the last hallway. I send up a brief thanks that whoever designed this layer didn't share Orochimaru's flare for ridiculous mazes. I take the lead and channelling chakra into my right hand I punch the door in leaping into the room. The guard closest to me spins katana drawn and in his hand. The other immediately jumped in front of the boss and began herding him towards the back. I parried the first guards katana in an easy swing. A quick sword fight followed, what the guard lacked in technique he tried to make up for in power. Unlucky for him, that had been my technique when I first joined ANBU and not only did I know the weaknesses, but I had been stronger than him. A vicious stab my way was the opening I wanted, I stepped to the side, grabbing his wrist and pulling his momentum into play and throwing his body of balance. He staggered forward, and I ended it with a swift jab of my katana. I sighed softly. Lord knows I could've used a challenge. Isamu was traded blows with the second guard, the target cowering slightly behind his henchman. I jumped over the corpse of the first guard, and in a well timed switch that had me missing real teammates, Isamu jumped left and I caught the second guards next blow on my left arm guard.

Isamu leaped at the leader, who when cornered was acting much like the weasel he was. Fighting desperately for his life, but with no real skill or ability. Unlike his personal guard that was currently doing his best to make Sakura skewers. He handled his blade markedly better than the first, but still with a low skill level. The intelligence that we had initiated this mission on had lead us to believe that the personal guard of the leader would be a difficult fight, yet I had killed the first and wounded the second. With every swing of his katana blood flew through the air from the cut on his bicep. His strikes didn't have the ferocity of the first, but flowed better. Unfortunately for him, I didn't fight fair.

Leaping back and flipping through hand signs deeply ingrained in memory I put one hand to my lips and blew out a poisonous purple cloud. Shizune-san was so getting a day off when I got home. The cloud enveloped the second guard and distracted the leader for a split second. That was all that was needed. Isamu drove a kunai straight through the leaders neck, severing his spinal cord, windpipe, and esophagus in one strike. The last guard fell to the ground, blood seeping from every orifice on his body. And just like that, it was over. It was too easy. I knew then, it was too easy.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: First off thank you all so much for the feedback on this story, reviews are the sword that slays writers block. I've read all of the reviews, and I hope most of your concerns will be addressed in this chapter about Sakura and her strength. Also, I fought with myself over the beginning of this chapter, so please let me know how you feel about it. And just for the sake of my tiny little rage monster, this is a NaruSaku story because I wanted it to be. No NaruSaku isn't cannon, in fact it is the opposite of cannon. I know this, and I choose to disregard it because I CAN. Aaaand I'm all better. Anyways, here is the story, enjoy, and review!**

(Konoha)

Sasuke and Naruto wandered the village listlessly, seeing old faces. Hinata and Kiba, out on a date. Naruto had nearly tripped in the middle of the street when the mild mannered Hyuuga pressed her body into Kiba's in an alley behind the popular shinobi bar. Later in the night they had meet the rest of the Konoha eleven, in that same bar, and they caught up quickly.

Ino and Shikamaru were married, with a son. Ino was alternating between drinking heavily, and loudly declaring all of the ways she found Shika preferable to Sasuke. Loudly and drunkenly.

Choji sat near his teammates, snacking on the bar chips and drinking a beer. He was dating a girl from Suna, and was planning a trip there soon. Sasuke and Naruto both filed this away to speak to Tsunade about later.

Hinata and Kiba were snuggled up in the corner of the booth, Hinata still looking teary eyed over her recollection of Sakura's last mission. Kiba was alternating between comforting her and snarling insults, threats, and after a few drinks a reluctant welcome back.

Shino was lurking around the corner of the bar, only drifting forward to berate Naruto for not recognizing him, and to give them both his "formal greeting." The two friends once again agreed that Shino was...strange.

Lee nearly turned himself inside out yelling about youth, and flames, and other such things. Ten Ten finally put a leash on her boyfriend and corralled him. Both had welcomed Naruto and Sasuke back unconditionally. Lee didn't have the ability to hold a grudge, and Ten Ten had summed it up nearly perfectly "I worked with Sakura a couple times after she put on the mask. She was good. Didn't hold the kind of chakra reserves or raw power that you two do, but she made up for it by being smart. Cunning even. What she lacked in the way of demon chakra, or sharingan she made up with by pushing the limit. She was one of the best, and a good friend." After her little speech Ten Ten had teared up and drowned the tears and memories in sake. Lee was, for the good of everyone, sticking to soda.

It broke Naruto's heart. The rough welcome that he and his remaining best friend received, both the good and the bad. The memories that every familiar face triggered. And the reminder of all the lost chances. The opportunities they had wasted while they went and "saw the world". They could of been team seven again. They could have been at home and happy. Now Sakura was dead, their friends were lukewarm to them at best for the majority, and they both felt the crushing loneliness creeping back in.

The night wore on. As the alcohol flew freely, so too did forgiveness. First was Ten Ten, hanging off Lee as he walked her home. She had offered forgiveness in a drunken slur over her shoulder. Lee have given his patented nice guy smile. Next, Hinata and Kiba. Kiba slammed two beers on the table in front of Naruto and Sasuke, muttering that he would rather be dead than be where they were. Words that would be much more painful when the beer induced buzz faded. Hinata apologized once again, before passing out cold in Kiba's arms.

Last to come up was Ino and Shikamaru. Despite drinking heavily all night long the blonde was standing steading, and her words came out clearly. "Sakura would of been happy to see you back. Furious that you left the way you did. I'm just sorry that she couldn't be here to pummel you, then forgive you. So I guess that'll be up to me." With a grin and a wicked gleam in her eye, Ino punched Naruto in the side of his head, knocking his blonde hair into Sasukes. Both boys were left with tears in their eyes, and Shikamaru's slight smile swimming in front of them.

As all nights do, this one came to an end. It brought the first step of closure, and as the sun rose they wondered how exactly they ended up on the Fourth hokage's stone forehead. Naruto was sprawled out, snoring gently, and Sasuke was sitting propped up against one of the yondaime's hair spikes.

Tsunade's sandals slammed into the rock of the monument with a resounding clack, startling Sasuke into alertness. Naruto snored on, oblivious for the moment. Sasuke tried to peer up at the hokage, but the morning rays were driving spikes into his eyes. For an irrational moment he wondered if he had got into a fight and overused the Sharingan, until his stomachs displeased rumbling made itself known.

"Rough night boys?" Tsunades smirk was just a tad too knowing for Sasuke's liking. Losing patience with the snoring blonde, Tsunade kicked him in his hip spurring a great deal of whining and rocking back and forth clutching his side from Naruto.

"Pull yourselves together. Choji is preparing to leave for Sand and you'll accompany him. The Kazekage has requested to see both of you as soon as you return. Meet at the gate in two hours." When two groans rose from the shinobi, the fifth grinned and went off to her paperwork. Now she could understand the sick pleasure Shizune had always got from waking her up for her duties.

(In grass country)

It had been two days since Isamu and I had raided the rebel's base. He had left later that same day with the dead leaders body sealed in a scroll. I planned to hang around, and see if the forces that would soon return to the base would present a problem. Setting up a few traps that would alert me if someone returned to the base, I made my way back to my tree home, hoping a certain nosey pug would have returned home. Dispelling the genjutsu and traps around the entrance to the tree I leaped inside.

"Smells like your raid went well," Pakkun's gruff little voice sounded from my bed. I sighed.

"Go home Pak, the leader is dead, I'm just going to hang out and judge the remaining forces when they return." I started stripping out of my blood stained clothes. I had donned the ANBU armor, foregoing the fox mask for a cloth one much like Kakashi's. Even with my hair and eyes changed, I wasn't taking any chances with my identity here ever clashing with my true one.

"Can't girly, sorry. Strict orders not to leave until I have an answer about your return," Pakkun was laying facing me, his head resting on his crossed front paws, "No hurry though, your bed is better than Kakashi's." I snorted to myself, considering Pakkun was curled up on a cot that collapsed small enough to be stored in a storage scroll, that said something.

"You can't tell them I'll take it into consideration, but there are many factors at work here?" I asked hopefully. Pakkun just gave a small snort and blinked at me. Fuck. I wasn't ready to go back. Every shinobi sense I had was standing up and shouting this thing in grass wasn't even close to over. I had to stay here as long as it took to figure out what I was missing. Besides, Konoha was a difficult prospect to face. I had been gone so long the city that had always been my home sounded like a foreign land. Where I would have to put up another front.

All of my armor gone, I started pulling the leg holster from my thigh, and the glittering kunai within made me pause. They had been a gift from Ten Ten. The weapons mistress was one of the few that knew that I was the fox, and she had given the set to me when I made the promotion to hunter nin. The friendship with Ten Ten had surprised me, but I grew close to her. Pulling one of the kunai from the pouch I twirled it in my hand as I sat down next to Pakkun.

"How long do I have to decide Pak?" My words came out deceptively calm.

"It could be centuries and it wouldn't be long enough girly, we both know that," the pug heaved a deep sigh, "Three days. You have three days before they press the issue." I patted his head. Maybe in three days there would be a change, maybe in three days I would be able to decide what to do. My hopes sounded weak and stillborn even to myself.

Two days passed, and I was running out of time. Leaping from tree to tree I fought with myself on what to send Pakkun back with. Would I tell them no, or would I agree then not show up? Actually going back was definitely out. I had decided that after I tried to pen an acceptance and ended up shaking so badly the scroll fell to the floor. I came to a stop and peered in at the camp, then froze in surprise. None of my traps had been triggered, and yet the entire camp was buzzing with people. Masking my chakra and sinking closer to the tree trunk, I stared at the shinobi swarming the ground. Most didn't wear a hitai ate. A few bore the mark of a missing-nin. A couple earth shinobi, and a handful of mist. Over half were branded as grass nin. The remainder made my blood freeze in my veins then, erupt into rage like molten lava. Sound headbands stared up at me from all over the camp. A terrible premonition swept over me. Kabuto hadn't been apprehended during the war, he had slithered away. Even though the Sound village had been disbanded and destroyed, Kabuto's disappearance had left a bad taste. I scanned the camp again, hoping both to see the pale man, and to find him absent. Instead a chill swept my body.

"You should be more careful little one, I am not the low level trash that you and your companion swept through." The words were said with a lack of emotion or inflection, just a slight hiss at the end of the sentence. Skin crawling I turned to the right and put my back to the thick trunk of the jungle tree. Light refracted from the round glasses perched on his nose. Purple markings streaking from his eyes, his gold and slitted eyes. Kabuto.

"You see, we knew that eventually we would draw attention here. And when we did a plan had long been set in place. You are better than we had planned though. You and your little friend were supposed to die in that place. Instead you killed my men, and the fool man left. Yet you stayed. Too smart for your own health girl," Kabuto stood relaxed, shoulders loose under the long robe he wore.

What could I do. Options. Think. Damnit think. If it was one on one I would have taken the chance on the battle without a second thought. But he had legions of back up, and I was just a lone shinobi. If I died here, I would fail my mission. If I died here Konoha would be in the dark about this danger. I took a breath, and did the one thing that I hadn't done since I put on the mask. I ran. I put all of the chakra I could into my legs and ran as fast as I could. A single minded intensity took over me. I had to meet Kakashi and Ibiki. As soon as I could I had to tell them this in person, a full report. Plans, secondary plans, and tertiary plans flew through my mind circling each other. I couldn't feel any chakra pursuing me, and that sent another cold shot down my spine. If they had already found my tree, then they would have the scrolls that contained my ANBU gear and mask, as well as notes I had made over the course of the mission. Things that would send them to Konoha. Even if I wasn't ready to go home before, I had to protect the village.

Instead I found the tree as it always was, complete with snoozing pug. I picked him up and even as he blinked and grumbled I was giving him directions.

"Tell Kakashi to meet me at the town closest to where I died. Tell him grass and sound have allied and are lead by the snake himself. Go now." Pakkun nodded and vanished in a poof of smoke, I gathered my scrolls in a few seconds, leaving everything behind I could. Once I was done it was a quick fire jutsu to burn the tree down and I was on my way. The town I had picked was in south eastern wind country, and despite its small population it boasted many inns and bars, a result of being along the main thoroughfare between Konoha and Suna. I raced through the trees paranoia riding shotgun with me, praying I would make it to Kakashi with the information I held. Even if it killed me, I would complete this mission.

(Konoha main gate)

The sound of Choji comping on his chips reverberated between Sasuke's ears, causing his head to throb even harder. Shouldering his pack and hoping the run to Suna would make him sweat the alcohol out of his system he turned to Naruto. Thanks to the Kyuubi, whatever hangover he had woken with was long gone.

"Come on why can't we leave already? I wanna see Gaara. I can't wait to tell him about our journey!" Exuberance had returned to Naruto finally. Though he still grieved for Sakura, and had plans of revenge in his mind, his spirit was rising again.

"You heard the hokage, Kakashi is supposed to meet us with information before we leave," Choji reminded the blond even as he finished his chips. Sasuke grunted slightly, and Naruto whined about Kakashi's late habits.

A small cloud of smoke erupted around the trio's ankles. Pakkun held up a small paw in greeting. "Sorry boys, Kakashi has an emergency meeting and won't make it. He sent me to tell you to be careful while going through the land of rivers, there has been reports of rogue gangs roaming there." His message conveyed the pug vanished in a second poof of smoke.

"That's it?! What the hell! We can handle any rogues!" Naruto's blue eyes shot fire.

"Forget it, let's move," Sasuke turned to the gate and headed out. Choji nodded in agreement and followed the Uchiha.

(In the ANBU headquarters, Ibiki's office)

"That's all she said?" Ibiki couldn't believe it. Usually Sakura was better about reports than that. Kakashi shrugged.

"Pakkun said she came in to her hide away like the hounds of hell were at her heels. And if her message means what I think it does, that could be very true." Kakashi sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. Worry for Sakura was worming its way around his head and heart.

"You really think this is Kabuto?" Ibiki was sitting at his desk a pensive expression on his face.

"After he didn't appear in the war, or in the time after we had hoped that he had lost control over the take over jutsu he used on Orochimaru. If Sakura is right, and she usually is, then we have a more serious problem than we suspected initially. I need to get moving to meet her. She has a head start and will be moving fast." Kakashi rose and Ibiki nodded.

"Make it clear to her that we no longer need a nameless shinobi under cover, we need the fox back." Ibiki stared at the back of Kakashi's head as he nodded.

"I fear that it won't be that simple to her," with that Kakashi shut the door behind himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Notes have been moved to the end of the chapter cause spoilers. Read and enjoy.**

(In Suna, with Naruto and Sasuke)

They had made it to Suna, and Choji had immediately broken off from the pair to go see his girl. Gaara had welcomed the two to his village in his office, and after Naruto finished recounting his stories, with the occasional add on from Sasuke the Kazekage reached into a drawer on his desk.

"I have something I'm sure you two want to see. You've probably already seen Konoha's version but this is the report of the team I sent out to investigate Sakura's death," the Kazekage handed over the copies of the reports to the two men and leaned back in his chair. He had read that report a hundred times, and was still stumped about it. The death of an allied shinobi in his country would warrant a full investigation no matter what, but Sakura had been a bit more personal. Kankuro owed his life to the pink haired medic, and Gaara himself wouldn't be alive if the girl hadn't aided Chiyo in his rescue mission. On top of that Sakura was Naruto's teammate, one of his precious people, and anyone that Naruto considered precious, was added to the list of people Gaara cared about. It didn't help that the medic had endeared herself to him on her own.

The report wasn't much. The area that Sakura's team had been ambushed in wasn't anything special. The attackers had all been exceptional, each specializing in a different element, making dangerous combination attacks very real. Five men, wearing nothing to proclaim allegiance, had set upon the team in the early afternoon. Sai was the first to fall, knocked out by the earth user while covering Sakura to send the call for backup. The fight had continued on for some time until Kakashi had taken a critical hit by a water dragon charged with lightning. They speculated that Sakura had gone to his aid and that is when she was killed and four of the assailants had fled, leaving the fire user to fight Hinata. The fight hadn't progressed far before aid arrived from Konoha. The rescue team had been forced to take the three remaining members of team Sakura to medical aid before pursuing the attackers, and the trail had gone cold quickly.

"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find any more on the group that attacked them. It's like they appeared to attack, then vanished just as quickly. There haven't been any other attacks in the allied nations that match the pattern," Gaara let a bit of his frustration bleed into his voice. Naruto looked up and set the report on the desk gently.

"Thank you for showing us that, and for looking for them," Sasuke spoke up setting his report on top of Naruto's. Gaara nodded slightly. Then the Kazekage unrolled a map on his desk, drawing a line from Suna to a popular stop on the way to Konoha for shinobi and merchants alike.

"That's the town that's closest to the attack site. When you do your own investigation, I'd suggest starting there," the faintest hint of a smirk lurked in Gaara's jade eyes. Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Sasuke just nodded.

Gaara stood up and turned his back to the two men, looking out over Suna. "I'll send a bird to your hokage explaining where you are, and where to find you. Now go, you won't rest until you know for yourselves."

"Thanks Gaara!" Naruto was up and out of the office in a whirl, Sasuke hesitated slightly and when Gaara turned over his shoulder to look at him, the last Uchiha bent slightly at the waist. A bow of gratitude and respect. Gaara inclined his head in return, and internally marveled again at the miracles Naruto could work on a person when given the time.

(With Kakashi)

He had ran nonstop to reach the town, and as much as he wanted to search for Sakura, to the point where dismantling the town with his bare hands appealed, he knew she would come to him. So he wandered the streets, went to a few bars, and booked a room at the inn she had mentioned in passing years ago. Finally the bars closed down, and he was forced to his room to avoid angering the local law with curfew violations. He paced his room, knowing logically that he would arrive before her, he was rested, and had traveled most of his journey in friendly lands, where she was coming fresh from the field, coming through much more hostile lands, all in the guise of a rogue shinobi. Logic did nothing to ease the worry gnawing at his stomach. Irritated with himself he sat down on the floor, and made an attempt to meditate until the sun rose again.

The next day Kakashi wandered the market place, spoke to the towns people and travelers alike, asking them of their travels on the roads. It was unlikely that Sakura used the roads until she neared the town, where appearing from nowhere would raise more eyebrows than the isolation was worth. The day wore on, and strangely Kakashi relaxed a bit. He was acting like Sakura was a genin that had wandered off on her first mission. She would show up. Internally berating himself he went to the bar closest to his inn, sat down in the corner where he could keep an eye on the door and the room at once. Ordering a sake he resigned himself to the wait.

(Sakura)

When the sight of the town I had told Kakashi to meet me at breached the horizon I nearly cried. Days and days of running condensed into a three day trip, circling back on my trail to see if I was being followed, avoiding any settlements at all. In the back of my mind I knew that I was being hyper alert and paranoid to the extreme, but I couldn't contain myself. Rummaging in my bag I pulled out the plain black konoha headband I had picked up before I started the mission. I tied the konoha symbol level with my kunai holster on the other thigh. Cover story already in mind, the genjutsu made me resemble a medic I knew from the hospital, and with a bit of luck on my side I'd be able to pull it off. Her name was Sakiko, close enough to mine to ensure I'd remember to respond.

Slowing my pace slightly, taking it down from the breakneck pace I had held was a tactical move. I needed to not gather much attention as I came up to the town. Strength flagging again, I regretted using my last soldier pill the night before. Just before I hit the town I slowed to a walk, checking in with the gate guard just ahead of a large merchant wagon and family. They waved me through without a second look, and stepping into the town I had to ask myself. Where to find Kakashi?

(Kakashi, in the bar)

He had just come back from the restroom, noting the lack of windows, when the local crowd started drifting in. People gathered in pairs and groups near the bar and at the various tables. Lifting his hand to flag down the bartender, instead the man brought over a shot glass filled with something distinctly pink. Kakashi stared down at the offending drink for a minute before he had to ask.

"What the hell is that?"

The barkeep rumbled out a laugh, his kind weathered face crinkling up. "I told the lady a man would never take a shot like that, but she insisted I bring it to you. It's called a cherry bomb."

The planet halted on its axis for a minute, and as the bartender wandered over to his other patrons, Kakashi spun on his stool intending to search the bar. Instead someone settled on the stool next to him, and the planet resumed its spinning in double time. Black hair in a high ponytail, then braided. Gold eyes with the slightest hint of green at the pupils. Sakura grinned at him.

"Didn't like my shot, Kaka-sensei?"

Even though she had kept in contact via Pakkun over the past two years, seeing her sitting in the bar next to him dissolved the cold knot of worry that had lived in his gut ever since she had left. Her hair and eyes were the wrong color, she was much too thin, and weariness hung over her like a cloud, but under all that, she was still Sakura.

Clearing his throat and regaining his equilibrium Kakashi just shook his head at the shot. On one hand the color and name of the drink made him want to smile, but on the other it broke his heart, because right now Sakura wasn't that pink and sweet. She was dark and bitter. For the first time, the consequences of sending Sakura on that mission were sitting in front of him, and pain and guilt rose like twin dragons in his gut.

"I have a room at the hotel nearby, we can talk there." Sakura simply nodded at him then began tapping her fingers on the bar. It was an old ANBU trick, morse code. Her tapping was as clear to Kakashi as if she was shouting in his ear, and just as painful. She was resorting to ANBU tactics automatically.

_Using name and cover of Sakiko, hospital medic in K. _

So she had a cover worked out already, the name didn't register with Kakashi, but that wasn't a surprise. He abhorred the hospital, and blocked his time spent there out. Kakashi just picked the shot up and took it in the split second he had his mask down and back up. It was as sugary sweet as he feared and the idea of that residue in the cloth covering was repugnant. It was his way of acknowledging that he had got her message.

The sweet cherry syrup was still lingering in his mouth when the world stopped for the second time in under two minutes.

"Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here?" Staring over Sakura's suddenly tense shoulder, Kakashi forced an eye crinkle at the exuberant blond man bounding through the bar in his direction, a dark haired shadow trailing in his wake. A quietly muttered curse from the figure next to him summed up the situation so accurately it hurt.

(Sakura)

"Shit," I hissed out between my teeth. An explosion of emotion ramped up in my body. Fear, distrust, pain, resentment, and other myriad dark feelings rampaged behind my sternum. Had Kakashi set me up? Was this a trap? Was this my punishment for not returning to Konoha as Ibiki had ordered? Allegations and paranoia whirled into a storm of dark energy. I met Kakashi's one dark eye. Reading the slight panic, and guilt. It was enough to solidify what I had suspected. I couldn't even trust him. I had to get out.

Tensing even further on my stool I stared into the dark eye of my ex-teacher and mouthed the words at him. "_I thought you were above ambushing a comrade." _Kakashi visibly flinched back just as my ex-teammates arrived on the scene. I was off my chair, dodging the darker of the pair, and breaking for the door with shinobi speed. Fading into the distance as I left and leaped onto a rooftop was Kakashi's desperate cry.

"NO! Wait!"

No more waiting. Bounding rooftop to rooftop I was at the town limits in no time. Darting into the desert over hard packed sand, I made my escape.

(Hours later)

I had ran, as far as I could, before the adrenaline wore off and I was forced to collapse in the shadow of an outcropping. Shaking with exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition it was a miracle I had made it this far. I was overheated and panting with fear. My entire system was still flooded with numbing terror. Even as a panic attack threatened to set in, my inner made an unexpected return.

**Get a grip. **I flinched and scoured the desert for the source of the voice.

**Stop acting like a frightened rabbit and look at this logically. **I froze, surprise at the inner persona's return after all this time. I hadn't heard from my second personality since before I donned the mask.

**Are you sure Kakashi set you up? I'm not. He was surprised to see Naruto and Sasuke. **I hissed aloud at the mention of their names, and the inner scoffed. **You hadn't forgotten their names have you? Look at what happened again. See what is underneath the underneath. **

With the Kakashi quote my inner fell silent once more. Think about it logically? How? Emotions were still clouding my thoughts, casting shadows on everything. Slipping into the Fox persona was my only option. Closing my eyes, I reached deep into myself, finding that calm killer, and slipping into it. Emotions were shoved into a corner and boxed up. Bare facts were laid out.

One. Kakashi hadn't set the place for the meet. He had let me find him. He wouldn't of been able to coordinate the pair's arrival ahead of time.

Two. His surprise and trepidation when Naruto called out to him. He wasn't expecting them. He was worried at my potential reactions.

Three. Both Naruto and Sasuke had ignored my presence. They hadn't spoken to me, or tried to prevent my leaving.

Forced to look at what had happened objectively, I could see how wrong I had it. And as the world began to fade in and out when I reopened my eyes, let me know just how costly that overreaction could of been. I could easily die out here.

I had shed the konoha headband in a dumpster on my way out of the town. I looked the part of a rogue once more. Panic welled at the edge of my consciousness once more, and I dug through my pack. Finding the scroll Kakashi had given me so long ago at the beginning of my mission, his words floated across time to me.

"_If you ever need me. Just spread a few drops of blood on the seal. It'll lead me straight to you. No matter what." _Running my finger over a sharp rock next to my leg I unrolled the scroll with one hand, swiping the bloody fingerprint over the seal. I could only hope Kakashi made it in time. All sound disappeared, and I fell back into the land of darkness and oblivion.

**A/N: I had to end it here, I'm sorry. The notes have been relegated to the end because I wanted to explain a few things that would have spoiled the chapter. First off, the way Sakura slips into her ANBU personality to look at the situation logically is something I've taken from personal experience. For those of you that have read my profile you know that I'm a soldier in the Army national guard, and I've found that going "soldier-mode" helps shove my emotions back and use logic when confronted by difficult situations. Secondly, Sakura has a pretty rough case of PTSD in this fic, she is paranoid, jumpy, and having problems separating reality from what is in her head. This will become more apparent as the story progresses. Finally, my characterization of Naruto and Sasuke in the story. Naruto is more like we see him at the end of the war in the magna, where Sasuke is in a much healthier place. But at this point in time they are both a little unstable, rocked by Sakura's death. This will show further on as well. There was really no point to this note section other than my attempt to clear up a the reasons behind a character's actions. And maybe because I like the sound of my own voice? Er, keyboard? In any case, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review! I'd really like some feedback on this. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello again! Thank you so much for the reviews, the favorites, and the follows. First off, I know that there hasn't been a lot of action with Naruto and Sasuke so far, and this chapter wont have much either. That's because I'm focusing on developing Sakura's character to the point where she can actually interact with the two again. But fear not our two favorite boys will be back in action next chapter for sure. Secondly, I've been knocked on my ass by a cold, so if this chapter is substandard or just falls flat, please let me know and I will get a rewrite up and at you in no time. Now as always, read, enjoy, and review.**

(Kakashi, directly after Sakura ran out)

He sat there in a stupor. How could things have gone wrong so quickly. Her parting words were etched in his memory as firmly as if he had used the Sharingan to memorize them. Naruto and Sasuke were still standing in front of him, staring at him.

"Who was that, Kaka-sensei?" Naruto's voice startled the man into action.

"A contact of mine; she claimed to have information on the group that targeted Sakura. It's why I was in this town." A split second decision lead him to keep the lie alive.

Naruto groaned, "Then why did she run out of here like that?" He was spared answering by Sasuke cutting in.

"Because you came storming over here like an interrogation squad, yelling at the top of your lungs, dobe." Kakashi nodded confirmation with the Uchiha's words.

Naruto sighed, and Kakashi rose, motioning for them to follow him, "I'll share what I got from her back at the hotel, more private, and you can explain what you have found." The two fell in step behind him, and worry rose to clamp around his heart like a vise. Sakura was in the wind, and in no condition to be going anywhere. He knew that he wouldn't be able to shake those two for a long time, and couldn't risk going after her with them either with him or following behind. He just hoped that she wouldn't slip through his fingers again, permanently this time.

(Two hours later in the hotel, Naruto pov)

Naruto knew something was wrong, Kakashi-sensei hadn't payed attention while he and the teme had filled him in on what they had learned in town. Admittedly it wasn't much, seeings how they lacked a description of Sakura's killers, but the townspeople didn't couldn't recall many things out of the ordinary in the time frame of the ambush. In fact the only noteworthy thing was the merchant family that had mentioned seeing Kakashi's informant enter the town just ahead of them, exhausted and barely on her feet. A twinge of guilt hit the blond over the fact that she had run off because of him and Sasuke. If she ended up hurt or dead because they frightened her off, Naruto knew it would haunt him.

They were in Kakashi's hotel room, Sasuke sitting in a chair flipped backwards to face the bed, his arms crossed and resting on the back of the chair. Kakashi was sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows braced on his knees, periodically running his hand through his unruly hair. Naruto was sitting on the floor next to the door leaning on the wall and forming the third point of their little triangle.

"Her name is Sakiko, but that's probably an alias. She was a shinobi from Iwa and fought during the most recent war. After the war, she went rogue, dissatisfied over the lack of action. However, she isn't part of the faction of rogues that want the peace dispelled, all she wants is to work. So I set up a contact with her about three years ago, after Sakura was killed in the rogue attack. She's been gathering information on other rogue groups since then." Kakashi sighed and ran his hand through his hair yet again.

"Has she found anything on Sakura's killers?" Sasuke's deep voice cut through the dim room easily. Kakashi shook his head, disappointment chasing grief over his visible face.

"She hadn't told me much this time, before she ran. Just that she was suspicious of a group in Grass," Kakashi turned his dark eye on his former students, "I'm going after her now. You two need to go to Grass; it's the next lead. I'll use Pakkun to contact you once I find Sakiko, and if she agrees, we will both meet you in Grass. Wait for my message before you do anything."

"But Kakashi(sensei?), we can handle it," Naruto spoke up for the first time in a while, his blue eyes flashing fire.

"You need the information she has. If you just charge in without a plan or intel then you could ruin our only lead right now," Kakashi glared back at the orange clad shinobi. "Just wait for my signal. Then we will move in together."

"Hurry and find her Kakashi-sensei, she could be in trouble, those merchants said she was already exhausted," Naruto's clear blue eyes betrayed his worry for the rogue. Blue eyes that held guilt over her fate, showing that even though the face around the eyes had changed, the heart and personality within stayed. Even though he had only met her for a split second, the haunted look in her gold eyes had struck something within Naruto.

Kakashi rose, and moved to the door. "Let's get moving. I have to find my rogue, and you have to start moving to Grass." On his way through the door, Kakashi dropped a hand to Naruto's head and ruffled the blond spikes. Naruto gave his trademark grin, and was on his feet in a second.

"Come on teme, let's get moving!"

(Kakashi, outskirts of the town)

He had lost time talking with Naruto and Sasuke, letting Sakura slip further away. Rationally Kakashi knew that he had needed to take that time, to get those two off the trail, so he didn't lead them to Sakura, but that didn't ease the terror gripping his heart. He had circled the outskirts of the town, picking up a faint trail that lead north into the desert. So faint, that he had lost it not even a mile out. Reaching for the scroll to summon his ninken, hoping against hope, Kakashi's eye widened in surprise when Pakkun poofed into existence before the scroll was even in his hand.

"She activated the summons, she needs you, this way," the little pug was concise, and moving before he was even finished talking. Kakashi's body moved on auto pilot.

_She called for help? Maybe she realized that I didn't set her up. Maybe I can get there in time for once._

It took half an hour; even with the blood summons Sakura had activated, Pakkun had a rough time tracking her down. Finally cresting a dune, the weak light of the moon hit upon a figure, leaning against a large boulder in the bottom of a depression between dunes. Black hair in disarray, gold eyes hidden behind dark lids, Sakura was passed out cold, one hand crusted with dried blood on the scroll he had given to her so long ago.

"Sakura…" Kakashi landed next to her and gently cradled her face in his palm, noting the pale sweaty skin, and the way her skin was drawn tightly over her facial bones.

"Get the girlie to some help," Pakkun's gruff voice broke into Kakashi's shock, "take her to Suna, I'll meet the two idiots and keep them from doing something dumb." Pakkun turned to leave, then turned his head back and gently licked Sakura's limp hand, clearing the blood from her ripped finger. With that the little pug took off into the desert.

Kakashi smiled inwardly at his summon's antics, it seemed that even the pug had grown attached to his old student. He gathered Sakura into his arms, noting again how light she had gotten. Feeling her heartbeat faint and fluttering against his hands, Kakashi leapt into the desert, hoping that the Kazekage would be feeling hospitable.

(Gaara, at the gates of Suna)

"We spotted them about ten minutes ago Kazekage-sama, two shinobi, but the one appears to be carrying the other." The Kazekage nodded and dismissed the chuunin back to his guard station. The pair was approaching Suna at a fast pace, they would be at the gates in a minute. Gaara disappeared in a whirl of sand, reappearing on the ground ahead of the gates. The figures bleached by moonlight grew closer, and the sand on Gaara's back began to spill out in the air around him.

The figures came to a halt, as the sand eddying around the Kazekage froze in space. The lone eye of Hatake Kakashi gazed at Gaara pleadingly.

"Help us. Please. Please….Gaara." Kakashi's voice was hoarse and broken, in a different man Gaara would assume he had been either crying or holding back tears for hours.

"I can't let you enter with a rogue shinobi Hatake-san. You should know that." The panic and grief that broke across Kakashi's face was clear even under the mask.

"She's not a rogue…. She's-" Kakashi grew determined, steel in his gaze as his hand slipped under the back of her shirt and his chakra flared "She's Haruno Sakura. And she's dying."

Gaara stepped back, the jolt of chakra to her system cause golden eyes to snap open even as emerald bled out from the ring around her pupils, black hair twisting in the wind lightened, pink sweeping down from the crown of her head to the ends fluttering against the night. Pale, thin, and battle scarred on the edge of death, even under the cover of night, it was still indisputably Haruno Sakura.

"Take her to the hospital, then you damn well better be prepared to explain this, Hatake." Kakashi's head bowed in thanks, and he broke into a sprint that pushed his battered strength to the edge.

(The Kazekage tower)

"You think it was who? Kankuro that is insane. She's dead. She's been dead for years." Temari snapped at her brother even as she rushed to Gaara's office.

"Temari, how many people have you met with pink hair? Besides, Kakashi said it was her, he said her name," Kankuro adjusted the puppet on his back, coming to a stop after his sister outside of the Kazekage's door.

"Kazekage-sama, I'm uncomfortable discussing this, you have to understand that this whole situation is incredibly delicate," Hatake Kakashi's voice came muffled through the door. Sharing a glance the older two sand siblings shooed everyone out of the reception area, and pushed their ears against the door.

"Hatake, you showed up in the dead of night at my gates with a nearly dead shinobi in your hands. A shinobi that was supposedly killed on my lands, a shinobi that saved my brothers life, was my best friends teammate, and someone I consider one of my admittedly few friends. I demand an explanation, or I will hold you and her here, contact your Hokage until I get one." Kankuro and Temari stared at each other blankly, Gaara's voice was full of emotion a rarity itself, added to that he was pulling rank on Kakashi and threatening him in the same breath.

There was a beat of silence which had the siblings straining their ears before a deep sigh came through the door.

"As you are aware, the peace that was forged after the war has been under some outside strain in the past five years. The alliance is fragile, and the Hokage was concerned that it would soon break. However a caveat to this alliance prevented an official investigation by any of the villages. A rogue shinobi would be able to investigate at will though. Morino Ibiki the commander of the leaf ANBU division made a call, to determine the root of the outside influence without violating the treaty itself. Haruno Sakura's death was faked, by myself and the other team members that day. There was no rogue group after the bounty on her, all of our injuries were self inflicted, kage bushins and other methods. Sakura accepted the responsibility of going in deep cover to find out what was going on. A faction of the Grass village is lead by Kabuto, I don't know what he is planning, or why. All I know is that Sakura has been undercover for three years, and she isn't who she used to be. When I finally met up with her, Naruto and Sasuke stumbled upon us and she panicked. Ran away. It took me hours to find her, and when I did she was in the state I brought her to you. Kazekage-sama…. Gaara. Even Tsunade doesn't know that Sakura is still alive. Sakura gave up everything to protect the alliance and her village. Please, keep her secret. Let her be the one that sheds light on all of this. I'm already afraid that she is too far gone to come back, but forcing her will only end in blood." Kakashi's voice was broken, his words hitched at the end of his little speech. Silence fell.

Temari's eyes were glittering suspiciously even in the dim lighting. The fan wielder had worked with Sakura over time, and had been fond of the pink haired girl, her death had hit hard. But the idea that Sakura had given that much not only for her village but for the good of the shinobi world, hit Temari hard.

"Thank you for your honesty Kakashi. Our best medics are with Sakura now, she'll be fine. As for your request… Sakura's presence here and her activities will remain secret. Myself, and all of my shinobi will keep her secret." Kakashi's murmured thanks was drowned out by tendrils of sand wrapping around Kankuro and Temari's wrists as a silent reminder to keep their eavesdropping to themselves.

(Suna hospital, twenty-four hours later)

The medics had worked on Sakura for a couple hours, and after Kakashi had returned from his meeting with Gaara, he had been by her side ever since. The medics had assured him that after some rest, Sakura would be just fine.

The moonlight streaming through the window shone off of Sakura's pink hair, casting shadows on the hollows under her cheekbones. Kakashi sighed and leaned forward to sweep a piece of hair from her forehead when a pale hand reached up suddenly grabbing his wrist.

(Sakura pov)

I came awake all in a rush, one second there was nothing, the next second I was grabbing the hand that touched my forehead on reflex. Several things registered at once, the antiseptic smell long ago associated with hospitals, the way my entire body didn't ache, and the faint smell of forests, campfire smoke, and blood that was Kakashi.

"Easy, it's just me," Kakashi's voice was rough, and when I finally forced my eyes open, his appearance was haggard. His hair was wilder than usual, like his hands had run through it frequently.

"Where are we?" My voice was raspy, and my throat was dry. Kakashi handed me a cup of water before answering.

"Don't freak out. Just listen to me before you freak out," I sipped my water then glared at Kakashi.

"I think I've over reacted and freaked out on you enough for a while," Kakashi cracked a grin, and I responded with a shadow of my old smile.

"When I found you, Suna was the best bet to save your life," Kakashi paused and I gestured with the cup for him to go on, "unfortunately the Kazekage wasn't going to let me into his village with a rogue in my arms. I had to dispel the genjutsu."

"How much does Gaara know?" I waited for the irrational anger and fear to rise again. Waited for the paranoia to come crushing down. Instead all I felt was relief. Relief that I was myself again, and that I was rising from the dead.

"Everything. I told him everything. But more importantly, Sasuke and Naruto are headed to Grass right now. They could probably use a hand. If you really are not going to freak out," Kakashi eye crinkled at me, even as I tossed the paper cup at his face.

"No promises, but I'll try to keep the freak outs to a minimum." This time the smile felt a little more natural.


End file.
